


The Lost Goddess

by Sapphic_Fae



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Found Family, Gen, lesbian farmer representation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2019-10-14 19:15:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17514359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphic_Fae/pseuds/Sapphic_Fae
Summary: After barely escaping Thanos, Thor and Loki find an old friend on Earth.





	1. Mister Borson

On a chilly September morning before dawn, June hefted crates of apples, display baskets, and little hand-painted signs into the back of her old yellow pick up truck. She hopped into the driver’s seat and opened the passenger door, letting a big golden dog jump in with her.

Despite the dark and the cold air making her ears pink, June was in high spirits.

She patted the dashboard and spoke to her truck. “Morning Daisy!”

She turned to her dog. “Ready for an adventure!?”

“ _Awoo_!”, the dog said. He loved car rides.

“Yeah, it’s market day!” She turned the key and the engine roared to life. “Market day! _Awooo!_ ”

“ _Awoo!_ ”, the dog howled as she shifted gears and pulled away from her little house in the orchard.

* * *

  
June did well that morning; her apples were always a hit at the farmer’s market. She loved making small talk with her customers and the other farmers. Just before closing time, she spotted one of her favorite customers. She waved to get his attention.  
“Hey, Mr. Borson!”

Mr. Borson was a kind old man with an eye patch and a white beard, who wore a grey wool cap and walked with a cane. He greeted June in his usual, grandfatherly demeanor and began the weekly ritual.  
“Hello June, how’s the business?”

“Great, I’m almost sold out! Oh, but don’t worry,” June ducked under her table and pulled up a bag of apples she had saved him, at least one of each variety in season

Mr. Borson smiled “Thank you, dear,” and purchased the apples.

Mr. Borson looked down at her dog, who went to him for pats on the head. “Oh, why hello Goldie! Were you any help today?”  
June smiled. She met Mr. Borson when he came to her door with a puppy, Goldie, who he couldn’t take care of.  
“He’s a great business partner. So, ‘ya coming over today?” It wasn’t much of a question. Usually, he came over for tea and pie and told June ancient stories of gods who wielded magic and lived among elves and giants and dwarves.

“I’m afraid I have no more stories to tell you,” he said with some melancholy in his voice.  
June faced dropped a little. “Well that’s fine, I could make up a story for you this time.”

"I’m sorry dear, but I am leaving this place.”  
“Where are you going?”

Mr. Borson smiled and looked towards the woods to the east, feeling the brisk breeze on his face. “I am going to see my family.”  
“Oh, well that’s great!” June remembered Mr. Borson mentioning his sons that lived abroad. He never gave a lot of details, but whenever he spoke about them, there was melancholy in his eyes.

“Yes, but I’m afraid I will not return.”

“ _Oh,_ ” Why didn’t he tell her sooner? Mr. Borson was the only person she saw outside the farmer’s market, besides Goldie.

“I’m sorry for the short notice, but I didn’t know it was time until recently myself. I did everything I could...” Mr. Borson took June’s hands in his. He looked her in the eyes, tears swimming in his bright blue one.

“I hope that one day you will come to forgive me, June. Goodbye.”

Before June could ask any more questions, Mr. Borson was gone. Overhead, leaves rustled as a raven took flight from the trees.

June ran around the market and asked if anyone saw an old man with a cane and an eye patch, but the other farmers insisted that they’ve never seen or heard of a Mr. Borson before.

Back home, June had pie across from an empty chair in her little quiet home.

* * *

  
“Why did you want to come here again, brother? It smells of dirt and barn animals.” Loki asked as he sulked in the passenger side of the car.”

“You’re being dramatic,” Thor said as he parked. “It’ll be fun! Banner told me all about it. Midgardians selling their wares in the open air, fresh crops and homemade goods, you’ll love it!” Thor wasn’t sure if he would love it, but neither of them had a normal day since their landing on Midgard.

Stepping out of their car, Loki scowled at the tiny cloud of dust at his leather shoes. But as he neared the tents, he realized the market wasn’t as dirty as he thought. And they were much fewer chickens running around than expected, to his brother’s disappointment.

Thor loved the farmer’s market. It wasn’t like the stalls of spices and exotic creatures from other realms on Asgard. But the people laughing and talking gave it a similar warmth. Thinking about it made his chest ache. He purchased a dozen eggs, the last item on their grocery list. “Loki, could you take this?”

But when he held out his arm with the bag of groceries, they phased right through him, creating green static. Loki’s double gave an awkward grin and innocently shrugged before dissipating.

“Oh shhh- Loki!”

  
Thor had scored over the entire market. He ducked to peek below the tables and looked every animal in the eyes.  
“Brother?” he whispered to a chicken resting in a pen, looking it in the eyes and crouching low to the ground.

“ _Bawk_?” The chicken said with blank eyes, tilting its little head.

“Oh- uh I’m sorry to bother you, your eggs are wonderful.” He smiled and gave the hen a thumbs up.  
Thor got a very concerned look from the chicken’s owner.

Not far from the chicken pen, Thor heard a lady gasp and jump back from an apple stand. This customer had an expensive looking leather bag and an I-want-to-speak-to-the-manager haircut. A thin black cat on the table was hissing at her. He walked over to find the lady chastising the farmer.  
“And get that thing shots!”, she shouted before storming away.

The farmer plopped down at her table, chin in her hands, and blew her messy red bangs up out of her eyes. “Rich people,” she said.  
She turned to the cat and scratched behind his ear. “Thanks, buddy.”  
Her dog, a yellow retriever-ish looking mutt, laid by her feet and eyed the cat suspiciously.

Thor made himself known. “Excuse me?”

The farmer bolted up from her chair. “Oh! I’m sorry! Hi, I’m June.” she said, shaking his hand. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yes, you found my cat.” Thor looked down at the cat, which glanced between them with startled green eyes.

Loki feigned innocence but knew he was going to hear this all day. But he didn’t wander around in the shape of a cat for nothing! Okay, yes, he would. But this was different! He looked up at Thor and nodded towards June.  
“Look, look at her brother, it’s Idunn!”, he wished he could say

For a second Thor got a good look at June her round face and big brown eyes. Slowly his face dropped. This farmer had the face of Idunn, their dead childhood friend.

June spoke up. Her eyes were wide and her brows were knit in concern. “Are you okay?” Maybe he really missed his cat? He’s skinny, how long was he missing?  
“Um, your cat’s okay now, sir.”

“Yes, my cat! Thank you! Goodbye!” Thor said robotically.

The cat jumped down from the table as Thor walked away, almost bumping into every other stranger. They moved quickly, in silence, until they reached a place with few people, behind a tree.

  
“It’s safe,” Thor said after checking for people.  
Loki shifted back in a green cloud of smoke, sighing in relief. “You saw the-”  
Thor looked over Loki’s shoulder with wide eyes.

  
June dropped a bag of produce, staring at them with eyes like circles.  
“Ah, you left this…” she stammered.

  
After a pause, Loki smiled and spread out jazz hands. “ _Ta-da_!”


	2. Golden Apple Orchard

“Oh. Oh wow!” June said. Her mouth was perfect “o”. “Are you _Lo_ -!”

“Shhhh- Shh!” Loki went, taking a few steps towards her. “Would you like to say that any louder?”, he said in a hushed voice, glancing around.

“Oh, sorry!” she said in a loud whisper. “Did I pet you?” she said, slightly disgusted.  
“Yes-”  
“That’s weird!”  
“I realize-”

She sprung to her tiptoes to peek over Loki’s shoulder and lit up again. “Is that Thor!?” she asked, barely hushed.

“Hi,” Thor said, smiling and meekly waving a hand.

“You look different,” June said glancing between the two of them. And she was right. The last time they were on Midgard for more than a day- so much had happened. Before either could respond, she continued. “I mean- I’m sorry.” She walked over to Thor. “Um, thank you for saving the planet and everything Mr. Thor- sir.” She saluted him.

“I- you’re welcome?” Thor said.

“Enough of this,” Loki said under his breath. His put his hands on June’s shoulders, spun her around and looked her in eyes. “Idunn, please, are you in there?” He said, almost as if speaking to a child.

She looked back with wide eyes, knitting her brows a second. Despite being a foot shorter than Loki, she snorted and laughed.  
“ _No_!”, she said, confusion coloring her voice.  
Loki’s face fell as he released his hand’s from June’s shoulders.

“Umm, okay! Bye!” June said with nervous laughter as she walked back towards her table.

“ _Wait!_ ” Loki said.  
June look back for a second. “Nope! You’re Loki! You’re sketchy! Bye, Mr. sketchy!” She said cheerily, waving goodbye.  
“Miss farmer!” Thor called.

June stopped in her tracks and looked back again.

Thor continued. “I’m sorry for the trouble we caused you. Can we speak to you after work?”  
June's nervous cheer fizzled. She looked at both Thor and Loki as if she was going to be in trouble. “Umm, sure... Do you wanna come over for some pie? Tomorrow?” she said, the words spilling out.

* * *

On the way home, Thor and Loki stared at the road in silence.

“She’s alive,” Loki said, leaning against the window.  
“Yep,” Thor didn’t know what else to say. Loki filled the silence.

“I didn’t kill her after all.”

Thor’s heart sank. Without a word, he pulled over.  
“I know, Loki. You never killed her. Do _you_ know that?”

Loki avoided eye contact and wished he had never said anything. “We thought she was dead,” he repeated.

  
“I wonder what that feels like,” Thor knew this wasn’t the time, but he couldn't help it. It was half an attempt to raise their spirits half saying what he’s been thinking the whole ride home. He half expected Loki to stab him and run, or poof into a bird disappear again.

Instead, he looked straight ahead with wet eyes. “Oh,”

“I’m sorry-”

“It’s alright. But do you know? I didn’t mean to make you think-”

“I know you- I know, Loki. I know you.”

Loki looked his brother in the eye “I’m sorry”

This took Thor back. After a second, he said “I, I know”

After another beat of silence, Thor regained some composure. “Just, don’t die again, okay?” He placed a steady hand on Loki’s shoulder, and his eyes were wet now too.

  
“It’s a deal,” Loki said. They shared a sad smile.

A few minutes down the road, the subject changed.

“So, do you know what might have happened to Idunn? I mean- on Midgard?” Thor began.  
“If it’s anything like the spell I put on father, I might be able to fix it.”

“I know you can,”

Loki kept looking at the window but smiled.

Idunn being alive on Earth had left many questions in the air. But for now, they hoped those could be answered tomorrow.

* * *

  
Loki sat by himself in the courtyard, watching Idunn and Thor play as he flipped through his book. She kept to drawing chalk on the pavers, but it looked like Thor insisted on playing battle.

“Come on Elf, defend your own!” he shouted, threatening her with a wooden sword.

Idunn didn’t look up from her drawing. “My daddy said fighting is stupid.”

“He’s wrong! Battle gets you in Valhalla!” Thor huffed and sat crossed leg next to Idunn.  
He noticed her drawings of flowers and forgot his righteous anger.

“Those are good! Can you draw me?” he asked.

“Okay”, Idunn said absentmindedly.

Loki went back to flipping through his book, a guide to the nine realms and their races. He took when he heard of the Vanir’s visit.  
Humans? Boring! Jotnar? _Gross_! And then he found the right chapter: Elves. It said they were “ethereal beings”.

Loki glanced up Idunn. She was picking her nose. Nope. And then even better. It said that elves had “remarkable reflexes”. Was that true? It was time for Loki to find out!

Loki waited until Idunn sat up from her drawing. When she looked over to Thor, Loki flung his pocket knife towards her head. He saw her long ear twitch like a deer’s, and the next second she clutched the knife’s handle. She looked at it with her big, bright eyes.

Before the children were left to play in the courtyard, Idunn’s father had reminded her that compliments are a good way to make new friends.  
“Oh! I like your knife Loki, it’s very pretty!” She returned the gesture and threw the knife back, embedded in the tree next to him, quivering in the bark from the impact.

“You can keep it,” he said, the color draining from his face.

“ _Loki!_ You almost killed the elf!” He heard Thor shout as he ran to his room.

That night, Frigga woke in the middle of the night to find Loki sprinkling salt by his door. A charm made of twigs hung on the door frame.

“Loki, What are doing? It is past midnight.”

“The good folk must be feared, mother,” he said in a terrified whisper.

* * *

That day, as Thor and Loki met Idunn, Odin and Frigga greeted her father and aunt, the Vanir. They sat around a table and began with wine and small talk.  
“It has been a while, Freyr. How is Alfheim?” Frigga asked him.

“Beautiful! We haven’t had much trouble there, thank the Norns.” He said.  
Odin cleared his throat. “Now, Freyr, while we are on the subject. You must realize that this is not Alfheim. May I suggest you cover the poor girl’s ears?”

Freyra spoke before Freyr could get a word in.  
“The _‘poor girl’_ you use to keep yourself alive? Cover her ears the same way you cover that boy’s skin?”

Odin’s eye widened.

“I can see through your magic, Odin.” She glared across the table at him.

Frigga and Freyr stared down at the hardwood table and remembered why the Vanir family hadn’t come over for Yule last year.

“We are protecting him-” Odin began.

“From what? His own heritage?”

“I imagine it difficult to question how your own king raises his son, Freya. You also seem to forget what the nobles here call Idunn.”  
Freyr didn’t like to instigate, but this was about Idunn. “I am sorry, what do they call my daughter?”

“Do not mind it-” Freya began.  
“Your changeling, Freyr. That she is a replacement for a stolen child. Stolen from the elves.” Odin said.  
Freyr’s jaw dropped.

Odin realized he had gone too far. “I apologize Freyr. Unfortunately, some of my people are not quite enlightened to other races. And now you can imagine what they would call a Jotun in the royal family, and what that would do to my son.”

There was a moment of tense silence. Frigga cleared her throat and pointed to the map of the nine realms on the table.  
“Now, about that recent skirmish in Vanaheim...”

* * *

That Sunday morning, June woke from some strange dreams. They were already fading from her memory, just images, as Goldie gave her slobbery morning kisses.  
“Good-mornin' boy,” she mumbled, sitting up and stroking his back.  
She rubbed her eyes. “Okay, people coming over”. That night she gave Goldie a bath and laid her good shirt at the foot of the bed. It was just crazy that these people were-

“ _Ow_ ,” she mumbled, holding her forehead in her hands.  
Goldie stuck his nose closer to June’s face, a whimper starting in his throat. These headaches were getting worse and worse, and Goldie could tell when a bad spell was coming.

“It’s okay, boy. I’ll get some tea,” she told him, scratching behind his ear. She kissed his forehead and got up, starting toward the kitchen.  
It felt like someone smacked her in the back of her head, and hard. She fell to one knee, clinging to the door frame.

“ _Ahh!_ ”

* * *

“Brother, can you _please_ just ask for directions already!?” Loki put his palms to his face and slipped down in his seat. June’s instructions seemed clear enough, but they couldn’t find her orchard anywhere. The GPS was no help (Thor almost electrocuted it) and they were going to be late.

“ _I can do this, okay?!_ ” Thor shouted back. He took a deep breath and pulled over. “I’m sorry Loki, I know it’s early- for you, and we’re both cranky, but,” he picked up the instructions from the dashboard and examined them. “It should be right here.” But on either side of the road were either farms that were definitely not orchards or forest.

Loki sighed, unbuckled his seat belt and reached out an arm toward the steering wheel. “Fine, let me drive.”

“How will that change things Loki?”

“I don’t know! But if you can’t find it-”

“You don’t know how to drive!” Thor said as he pushed Loki back.

“Yes, I do! It should be easy enough just let me-” Loki lunged for the steering wheel.  
“Brother no-!” Thor began to slap his brother’s wrists at the wheel.

“What- hey!” Loki began to slap back and they did this for a minute or so. At some point, Thor’s face was pushed into the steering wheel and the horn sounded.

_“Eeeeerrrrrr!”_

“Hey! Are you boys lost?” A voice sounded from the driver’s window. Still gripping each other’s necks, Thor and Loki glanced over. It came from an old man with a white mustache and sunglasses, who pulled over in front of them.

“Yes! Yes, we are, good sir.” Loki said. He quickly sat back in his seat and brushed off his suit.

Thor gave Loki a Look before turning to the old man.  
“Umm, yes do you happen to know where Golden Apple Orchard is?”

“Oh, the Witch’s House? It’s easy to miss. If you keep driving for a few minutes, you’ll see two big oak trees on your right. There should be a path between them, just take a right there and you’ll see it.”

“Ah, thank you, sir,” Thor said, committing the instructions to memory.

“No problem, stay safe boys-”

“ _Wait!_ ” Loki called. “I am sorry, but did you just call it the Witch’s House?”

“Oh, no worries. I’m sure she was a nice lady, but no one ever really saw her, ‘kept to herself. People like that gain a reputation, you know? ‘Heard her granddaughter’s a hit at the farmer’s market. Anyways, I’ll stop keeping ya, good luck boys!” He went back to his truck and drove off.

  
Thor and Loki sat in silence for a moment, until the putter of the truck’s engine faded into the distance. Then Thor changed gears and sped towards the orchard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for reading again! Like I said, the story is pretty much planned out, so Chapter 3 should be out in a couple days. But school is starting next week, so it might be slower after that. And yeah, I wanted to squeeze Stan Lee in there since it's a Marvel fic.


	3. June's Gallery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Loki visit Idunn's cottage.

Past the two oaks turned golden in the crisp autumn air, and down the dirt path shaded by the amber canopy of trees. Once he and Thor stepped into the neat rows of fruiting apple trees, Loki could feel that something that was not quite right about this place. What was it? Warm, buzzing, static on the back of his neck. And “June” was supposed to meet them by the oaks. Where was she? They searched for her house.

June’s home was a small cottage nestled, almost hidden, in the middle of the orchard. The walls were draped with ivy turned golden and scarlet, and stout sunflowers formed a fence around the property. Her garden was about a half-acre of rich foliage and flowers. Much of it was raised beds of pumpkins, artichokes- any vegetable or herb Thor and Loki could think of and then some.

They heard barking in the distance. For a second the two just looked at each other in shared concern. A few seconds later, June jumped from behind the cottage, wielding a broom.

“ _Hey!_ Get off my property! I uh... I have a broom!” She swung and almost whacked Loki in the head.

“Whoah, _whoah!_ Miss June? It’s us.” Thor took a step toward her, his hands up in front of his chest.

“Wha... are you... _Thor_?” June squinted at him. 

“Yes! We met you yesterday, remember? We were just coming over for some pie.”

“Wha…” June was shaking. She looked down to a little string tied around her pinkie. Her eyes went wide. She dropped her broom. She was cursing herself mentally. She almost killed _Thor_! ...And whoever that other guy was. She really owed them pie now.

“Oh, oh no. I- I’m so sorry. Come on in.” She put her broom against the wall and led them in.

 

They entered the living room, almost having to duck under the door frame. To the right, a small couch faced a boxy tv and a fireplace. To the left, through a door-like opening in the wall, was a little kitchen with an old stove and herbs drying from the ceiling over the table. The smell of apple pie wafted in the air. It felt warm and quaint and cozy.

But they also noticed post-it notes, plastered in odd little places with reminders like “squash needs weeding” or “take pie out of oven!”.

A barking blur of fur pinned June to the floor. Loki almost drew a dagger from his sleeve. It was licking her face.

“Hey boy! Ahh hey, down, down, you’re embarrassing me, we have guests!” June told him, laughing. She stood back up. “Sorry, did you meet Goldie? He loves people.”

Goldie noticed the two other people in the house, and his whole body started to shake as his tail wagged. Loki stepped back to avoid the slobber, but Thor bent down to scratch behind his ears.

He laughed. ”Hello, Goldie!”

Goldie seemed just as happy to meet him. He was licking his face and his tail swished like a fan.

June spoke up again, still feeling guilty. “Do you guys want tea or anything?” She started counting on her fingers. “I have apple pie, apple cider, applesauce, apple juice, apple muffins… I have a lot of apples.”  
Thor looked up from Goldie, still at the threshold. “Wha- oh” he cleared his throat. “That would be wonderful, thank you.”  
“Alright, you guys hang tight, I’ll put the kettle on,” she said, walking into the kitchen.

Left alone for a minute, Loki scanned the room and then-  
His face fell “Brother, look.”

"What is- oh norns.”  
They had spotted paintings above June’s television. All of them had a dreamy quality as if viewed through a foggy window, but it was definitely-

They were startled by June’s footsteps.  
“Hey, you guys okay?” She asked. "I'm really sorry about the broom thing, I have-"

“June, where did you find these paintings?” Loki asked, eyes fixed to the wall.

“Oh, I painted these… Are you okay? You guys look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“You remember what Asgard looks like?” Thor blurted. It wasn’t really a question.

“ _Asgard_?” Was this why they came? “No, I- I just made these up, does it really look like it?”  
It was a view of the capital from the Bifrost, glittering on the water.

“Exactly like it,” Loki said. “Do you have any more?”

“I do, you wanna see them? I can bring ‘em out-”

“No, show us where they are.”

June’s shoulders tightened and she glanced around. “Are you sure? I mean, I mean it’s kind of messy in there…”

Loki marched straight past June to the back of her house.

June rushed close behind. “Really I didn’t think you guys would be in here so I didn’t clean that room up you shouldn’t-”  
“ _Loki_ -” Thor began.

He found her bedroom door, a yellow “J” with flowers painted on the worn wood.  
June tried to reach the doorknob before him but failed. “I- I’ll call the cops! Okay no I won't but _please don’t_!-”

That warm static in the air was getting stronger. Loki swung the door open.

Now all three stood in June’s room. Beside her bed by the window, among her jungle of potted plants, were an easel and a stool, and many paintings of familiar things in hasty strokes of color. Golden apples nestled in a basket, elvish looking gardens, a dark snowy mountain. Meadows and fields of wheat and-.

“ _Brother_ ,” Thor said, pointing to a canvas leaning against the wall.

He found a painting of two little boys with crowns, princes, running side by side. One in red and in green.

June spoke up. “These- I was just having all these dreams so I- I mean I guess it looks like- but I wasn’t-”

“It really is you,” Loki said, his eyes shining with tears. He was clutching the blanket on her bed, a thick woolen comforter that was forest green with elaborate golden patterns. And it still smelled like smoke.

“That’s my- my blanket I can’t sleep without it- I-, what, what do you-?” Her head was swimming and her chest was heaving.

Thor walked over to June slowly, holding out a hand. “Idunn, it’s going to be okay. We’re going to make this right, we can help you.” He tried to keep his voice steady and low.

June stepped back. She was trembling. “I’m- it was really fun having you guys over- nice meeting ya but I think it’s time for me get back to work- I mean you guys understand I got-”

“Idunn, it’s us,” Loki said, trying to bridge the distance.

June walked back into a corner. That static was humming and a breeze picked up in the room, ruffling paper and making hairs stand on end.  
“No- no, I’m sorry- _It’s June!_ ” She held her aching head and braced herself against the wall, and Thor and Loki were pushed back, the world blurring around them. And then they were under the oak trees, alone with the chilly autumn air.

After a moment of dead silence, Thor sprinted back towards the orchard, slamming into an invisible wall. He started pounding his fists on it, but it only rippled with golden light at his touch.

He looked back at Loki and pointed back, panting. “That’s Idunn!”

“No shit,” Loki failed sarcasm and stared into the rows of the trees.  
“You do not have to worry, brother”

Thor stepped back and turned to face Loki. “And why shouldn’t we worry?”

“Because she’ll want this back.” Loki was still holding the blanket in his arms.

 

June found herself sitting against the wall of her bedroom. Goldie’s claws clicked against the hardwood as he rushed to her, barking and whimpering. Her head was pounding.

“I’m okay buddy. I know, I know,” she said as she tried to steady him.  
She hugged him, holding back sobs. “ _You’re a really good boy, Goldie_ ”.

A small poof sounded in her bedroom and she jumped. June took a deep breath and looked over at her bed.  
Her blanket was gone, and there was a little business card on her pillow. Written on it in green ink was an address in New York City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! School is starting, so the updates will probably be weekly.


	4. Loki's Trade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki befriends Idunn, June leaves her orchard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late, I've been struggling with this part and adjusting to school. In the flashback, Idunn is ten and Loki, Thor, and Sif are twelve. Just as a warning there's some adult language in this chapter. Also, did I mention that I love and respect genderfluid Loki? Because I do.

Thor stormed his sibling’s room.

_“Loki!”_

 

She smiled as innocently as she could from behind a book, lounging on her bed.

“Oh, hello brother! How are you this fine morning?”

 

“I’m going to kill you!”

 

“A _h,_ ” Loki pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh.

 

Thor rushed over to her and Loki scrambled back, still laughing.

“You cut Sif’s hair you freaking weasel!”

 

“It’ll grow back!”

 

Thor caught Loki by the shoulders. “Loki! _Why?_ ”

 

“Well, I shaved my eyebrows last time!”

 

The door burst open. Sif appeared in her armor, sporting a new buzzcut.

 

“I’m going to kill her,” she told Thor.

 

“She’s going to kill you,” Thor told Loki.

 

“ _Oh shit_!” Loki’s laughter turned to fear and she tried to squirm from under Thor’s grip.

 

Sif walked over to them menacingly, brandishing a pair of shears. “I’m going to shave your little greasy head.”

 

“ _Nope!_ ” Loki screamed. She disappeared into green smoke, and a magpie flew over Thor’s head and out the window.

 

Loki decided to go for the cover of the trees to let them cool down for a bit. It was just hair, anyway! So she landed and slipped behind some bushes away from the palace. She sat there and thought of how smart she was in escaping until she heard faint crying.

 

Loki tiptoed over to the sound. She peeked over a bush and found Idunn, hugging her dirty knees. “Eww,” Loki thought, and she tiptoed away.

 

But she stepped on a twig and Idunn’s ears twitched at the sound.

“Hello?” she called quietly.

 

Loki didn’t feel like babysitting but didn’t have much of a choice.

“Hey Idunn,”

 

Idunn tried wiped her tears as if Loki hadn’t just heard her. “Oh, hi Loki!”

 

“What are you doing out there?”

Idunn’s smile faded. She patted her giant rucksack of golden apples. “Uh, hiding. What are you doing?”

 

Loki sighed and sat down next to her. “Hiding,”

After a moment she added: “I cut Sif’s hair. Almost all of it.”

 

Idunn’ eyes went wide and she started laughing. She flopped backward in the grass. “You what _!?_ ”

 

“She was sleeping over and it was just- _there,_ I couldn’t help it!”

 

Idunn sat back up and tried to reign in her laughter. “Wait, did you _want_ it or something?”

 

“ _Eww_! No, it was the adrenaline, the _heist_. I didn’t want a trophy. I have my own anyway.” Loki swished her long hair.

 

“You should wash it though,” Idunn said.

“Hey!”

 

Idunn giggled. Until the bushes rustled and the color drained from her face.

 

“Idunn,” Loki said, “what were you hiding from?”

 

“Umm,” she began.

 

“ _There it is!_ ” a loud voice sounded. A boisterous group of boys from Idunn’s grade ran into the clearing, brandishing sticks that were burnt and smoking at the ends.

 

Idunn scrambled to behind her rucksack for cover.

Loki stepped between her and the boys, keeping a hand on her pocket.

“ _What_ do you think you’re doing?”

 

“We’re gonna’ fix the changeling! You have to burn them to get the real one back.” The boy in front said.

 

Idunn began to sob and cover her ears.

 

Loki pulled out her knife and pointed it at the leader. “No, you’re not burning anyone.”

 

The two boys behind the leader freaked. “He has a _knife_!” one of them said.

 

“He”. Loki thought that shouldn’t have upset her, but it did. Especially from a kid two grades below her. She stared them down and walked closer with her knife.

 

“Hey, I have a- I have a stick!” the boy in front said. He looked back to his friends. “Come on!” He marched closer to Loki when an apple hit his arm.

“ _Ow!_ ”

 

“Leave her alone you jerk!” Idunn held another apple ready to launch, her face wet with tears and flushed.

 

The boy looked behind him to find his friends had run off. It didn't take much to scare off a group of kids. “Fine! You’re both freaks!” He dropped his stick and ran off, clutching his arm. 

 

“Umm, they’re gone now-” Loki began.

 

Idunn hugged her tightly, catching her by surprise. “Thanks, Loki.”

 

Loki patted her head. “Uhh, you’re welcome.”

 

Idunn stepped back and wiped her tears, and hefted her rucksack on her back. “I uh, I don’t have a lot of friends,”

 

“Me neither,”

 

“So, um, can we be friends, Loki?” she extended a hand.

 

She smiled. “Yeah, we can be friends,”

 

They shook on it.

* * *

 

June watched the sunrise from her bed with sore eyes. She cocooned herself in a giant quilt, but she was still too cold to sleep. Slowly, she tiptoed over Goldie’s sleeping form and past the kitchen to the front door. June sat at the open threshold with a mug of coffee and tried to remember the last time she left her orchard, besides the market. It made her temples throb. Thinking back before the orchard was like hitting a brick wall. Why couldn’t she remember moving in? _Being a kid? Having parents?_

Gripping her coffee, June began to realize this wasn't normal. She hated herself for being so stupid. Did she think everyone just- _appeared_ one day? She did. June had a sudden thought and ran back into the cottage.

She turned her house upside, ripping clothes from her drawers and opening every little door or container or anything with a lid she could find. Nothing. No albums. No photos. No journals. No proof she was alive in any other way besides what she was now.

 

“Shit, _fuck_ ,” June sat in her disheveled living room and held her head in her hands.

She fished the card from her pocket-

“ _It really is you_ ,”

\- and tossed it across the room.

“ _Fuck you_ ,” she said as tears escaped her eyes.

Frustrated sobs racked her body. She hated this. She hated them for not letting her be June. But more than anything, she hated Loki for taking her blanket.

 

So June splashed some water on her face, got dressed, picked up the card and ran to her truck.

For a minute she started back at her cottage. Goldie’s bowl was full, and she’d out for a day- tops. But her heart pounded in her chest.

 

She put the card on the dashboard, let the engine roar to life, and looked straight ahead. Out of the orchard and downstate. Out of the orchard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm not very experienced with writing, but I hope you like this story as much as I like writing it.


	5. We Need to Talk (Part One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> June makes it to Thor and Loki's apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long time! I never wanted to drop this fic, I was just really distracted this semester. But now I've seen Endgame and I will continue to work on this story out of love for these characters the Russos didn't have.

That night, Loki dreamed a little girl clung to an icy cliff, her fingers raw and pale. He heard himself shout over the howl of the wind.

“ _Idunn!?_ ”

 

But when he grabbed her wrists, frostbite spread down her arms and she screamed. His hands were blue. He was blue. Blue and cold and disgusting. So he let go. The last thing he saw was her corpse and she was falling, falling. Until the sensation of hitting the ground jolted him awake.

 

Loki stayed in bed into the afternoon that day, watching the folded blanket on his bedside table from under the covers.

 

When he got dressed and ventured outside, he found Thor slumped on the couch and a can of beer on the coffee table. Out the window, the sun struggled to shine through the overcast and the half-drawn curtains. The whole place was washed in grey light.

 

“Hello brother,” he said

 

Thor straightened and turned to him. “Good morning-” he checked the time and exhaled-almost chuckled “-afternoon. You look like hel, are _you_ okay?”

 

Loki sat down next to him and shrugged. “I’m never okay,” He smiled. He glanced at the clock. With the back of his hand, Loki gently pushed the can away while speaking. “It’s one in the afternoon and you’re drinking, are _you_ okay?”

 

“Well, father is dead, I destroyed our planet, lost our people in the middle of space the second I became king, and Idunn is alive but... _cursed_ or something and I can’t help her… so I’m doing fine” He attempted a smile and rubbed a tear off his cheek. He bent over and rested his head in his hands.

“ _I’m a terrible king, Loki”._ His voice trembled.

 

It had only been a week since their ship was ambushed. Brunnhilde and Heimdall lead the refugees to the escape pods, and Thor and Loki managed to drive Thanos away. But they were separated in the chaos, so many of their people were gone, and Thanos has the stone. So now they waited in this little apartment given by Stark, sending signals to the sky and waiting for their people to come home.

 

Loki remembered his brother’s words from a few years ago, about wanting to be a good man rather than a great king. He knew that makes for the best kind of king, and the people were safe with Brunnhilde and Heimdall, but he didn’t know how to say it. So he carefully reached out and put his hand on his brother’s shoulder.

 

“But isn’t it almost poetic? All of this death and then we find the goddess of youth. We thought we couldn't save her but here she is, alive. Just like Asgard,” he managed.

 

Thor smiled sadly. “Yeah… To be honest, when I first saw her all I thought was that I was imagining things. That I was giving myself too much hope but she’s here, and we’re here, and our people are coming home...”

He surprised Loki by wrapping him a tight hug. “Thank you, brother.”

After a second, he released and nodded towards the TV in front of them. “Do want to watch something?”

 

“But I get the remote,” Loki wiped off a tear and tried to humor their old bickering.

 

“Nope, I’m older,” Thor leaned forward and picked it up.

 

“That Midgardian bake-off show?”

 

“I was thinking the same thing,” Thor smiled.

 

Halfway through hoping Susan’s dough would rise, there was a knock at the door.

 

Thor paused their show and Loki almost jumped at the noise.

The two of them stayed on the couch, watching the door in silence until the next knock, louder this time.

“Get the door,” Loki whispered

“What? I’m not getting the door- you get the door” Thor whispered back

“Why me?”

“You gave her our address and took her blanket, _you_ get the door”

“What if she has a broom?”

They paused for a second.

“Okay, we’re both getting the door,” Thor said in a low voice.

Slowly, they approached the door and opened it.

 

“Hello?” Thor called, peeking from behind the door.  

 

June stood in the doorway, with messy hair and bags under her eyes. She took a deep breath and held out the card.

“Mr. Thor, your brother is a jerk.”

 

Thor smiled and almost laughed, “Yes he is.”

 

She glared daggers at Loki, “Give it back”.

 

“You’ll have to come inside first”, Loki bargained.

 

June remembered Mr. Borson’s stories. Loki may have been the fun god, but she didn’t trust him one bit. She could trust Thor though, and she was too tired to be this suspicious.

“Fine,” she said and marched through the door.

 

She looked around the apartment. It was surprisingly normal for the gods’ home.

 

“Where is it?”

 

“June, we need to talk. Can you please sit down?” Thor said.

 

She eyed Loki cautiously, then looked back at Thor “...Can I hold it?”

 

Loki face’s dropped and he went to his room for the blanket.

 

June sat opposite the brothers in the living room, with the blanket over her shoulders. And even though she wanted to leap out of her chair and sprint back home, she stayed. And listened to their impossible idea of who she really was.

 

She laughed at the word “goddess”. “You think I’m one of _you?”_ She gestured to herself. “Look at me, I’m covered in dirt!”

 

“You were always covered in dirt,” Thor told her, struggling to make this positive. “You _love_ dirt, that’s why you’re still a farmer!”

 

June’s face fell.  

 

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

 

“But how? We know about your stories on earth, you guys are legends”, she asked.

 

“What happened in your version?”, Loki asked her.

 

“You brought Idunn back to Asgard and everything was fine.”

 

Loki almost chuckled and looked at the floor. “That would have been nice”

 

June looked at him for a second. “I want to trust you”.

 

“Loki glanced at Thor, back to June and gestured to himself. “ _Me?_ ”

 

“Yeah,”

 

“You have terrible judgment” Loki smiled.

 

June almost smiled back. “I know, but… This morning- I was looking around in my house and-... I can’t find anything. I can’t find any- pictures, or records and- …” her lip trembled “I can’t remember any _parents or friends_ -... You saw yesterday, I keep forgetting things, and it’s only getting  _worse_ ” June’s voice wavered. She took a second to hold her face and take a deep breath. “So please, don’t let this be a joke.”

 

“It’s not, I promise you,” Thor told her. “We just, need to find a way to fix this.”

 

“I think I can help you. But Id- _June,_  can you trust me?” Loki asked her.

 

“I think so. Besides, I just really need a friend right now, and I think you might need one too.”

 

For once, Loki didn’t think before he spoke. “I do". He got up, walked across the room and sat down next to June. “Alright. If you were able to paint your memories, they should be still in your mind somewhere. I can’t undo whatever spell did this now, but I may be able to retrieve some for you in the meantime.” He told her.

“Okay,” June nodded.

 

Loki reached his palm out to June’s forehead. And dropped it when she flinched. “Can I?”

 

June half-smiled. “Do I have a choice?”

 

“Yes! I’m sorry, you do,”

 

“Alright,” she said. She guided Loki’s palm back to her forehead with hers. “Go ahead.”

 

So Loki closed his eyes and focused on Idunn, as long as ago as he could, and hoped for a happy memory this time, please.

 

They both opened their eyes and had shade them to see in the bright sunlight. The first thing June noticed was that it was warm, and there was a gentle breeze running fingers through her hair. It was golden hour, and the grasses of this meadow glowed green gold as the sky blushed pink. There was a soft canopy of bird song and cicadas.

 

And then they heard a gentle voice.

 _“Are you ready?”_ it asked with the earnest and pitch used to speak to little children.

It came from a young man with sparkling dark brown eyes, a short beard, and braided brown hair. He looked almost regal but wore simple linen clothes in Vanir style. An antler laid beside him in the grass, and there was a little girl, a toddler, sitting in his lap. She had bright orange hair that lit up in the sun, and a round face splashed with freckles.

 

“ _Yeah!_ ” she shouted and bounced, planting her chubby little hands in the grass. There was a circle of rich dark soil around them, where the man must have dug up the earth to plant seeds.

 

“ _Is that me?_ ” June heard herself ask Loki.

 

Loki nodded.

 

She went to sit down next to them, and Loki followed.

 

“ _Okay, let’s go!_ ” Gently he took his child’s hands in his and touched them the earth. He closed his eyes and smiled. Warm rosy light glowed from his palms, into the soil. It flowed into the earth, out to the seeds around them. And they sprouted and grew into sunflowers, like time-lapse in person. The rows of flowers turn their faces to the man instead of the afternoon sun. The glow faded.

 

The little girl was almost shrieking and giggling at the little house of sunflowers he made.

“ _Again dah!_ ”, she managed instead of “dad”.

Her father laughed. “ _Again?_ ”

She laughed back “ _Yeah!_ ”

“ _Hey!_ _I just built a house for us!_ ”

She fell back and giggled even more.

“ _Hey,_ ” he sat his baby up. “ _What do you want to be when you’re big_?”

 

She spread her arms wide and up over her head, to the sunflowers. “ _D'is!_ ”

_"You want to grow things?"_

_"Yeah!"_

“ _Really? Me too!_ ” He told her.

He looked up at the blushing sky. “ _Come on big girl, it’s time for dinner._ ”

“ _Up,_ ” she said, with her arms reaching to his beard.

“ _Alright,_ ” he picked up the toddler and they walked through the meadow, back to a little yurt on the edge of an ancient forest.

 

June reached out to them but could only watch them phase through her fingers.

And then there was buzzing. The whole world froze and shorted into golden static. June felt like her head was going to split open. “ _Loki? Loki!_ ” she reached out and watched him short out like a television screen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to make promises, but the next part should be up soon. I have a much clearer outline of the whole story now.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, thanks so much for reading my work! This is my first time posting fan fiction, so I hope you enjoyed reading this as much I as I enjoyed writing it. The main outline of the story is already planned out, and I'm aiming to post the next chapter by next week. My interpretation of Idunn is really different from Marvel's but I hope I'm doing a good job writing her. Comments are always appreciated if you have any feed back.  
> And thanks to GlassGoblins for giving feedback before I posted this.


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